FabianBefore I take another look at Philips Hue’s new hardware in the coming days, there’s first a small software update. Philips Hue began rolling out a software update for select hardware platforms last week.
According to the release notes on the company’s website, this specifically concerns the 100b-12d hardware platform. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly which lights are included, but I’m assuming it’s the newer models.
In addition to the usual bug fixes and stability improvements, the update to software versions 1.162.10 and 1.171.1 adds support for “Bridgeless Sync.” What exactly is that all about?
How Hue Sync Works Without a Bridge
In addition to the many hardware innovations, Philips Hue also offers new software features, particularly when used in conjunction with the affordable Hue Play Screen Sync TV camera and the new Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 4K. Both devices are capable of communicating with a Hue light via Bluetooth without going through the Hue Bridge.
Later this year, bundles of the two Sync products with the new Philips Hue Play Lightstrip (Pro) are expected to be available. New users can then simply connect these to their TV and get started right away. This, of course, greatly lowers the barrier to entry.
Later on, the mini-system can easily be expanded with a Hue Bridge or Hue Bridge Pro to extend synchronization to up to 10 lights. Unfortunately, Philips Hue hasn’t increased this limit any further.
First Update Also for the Hue x Nanoleaf Controller
The latest software update from Philips Hue is also aimed at the new Hue x Nanoleaf Controller, which I’ve already introduced to you in a YouTube video. In this update, Philips Hue fixed a bug that could cause the LED panels to flash randomly.
